The skies over the battered Tokyo skyline shimmered with the rising glow of dawn.
Within the ruins of the temporary Jujutsu Base, silence fell as Yuta Okkotsu stepped forward, his clothes torn, face bruised, but his hand holding the very thing they had prayed for—
The Key to the Prison Realm.
Everyone stood around him: Utahime, Shoko, Maki, Nobara, Hakari, Choso, Panda, even Ui Ui clutching his trembling fists.
Without a word, Yuta dropped to one knee and placed the cube—twisted and pulsing with cursed energy—onto the floor. His hand hovered, and then—
He turned it.
The Prison Realm pulsed.
Click.
In a sudden burst of cursed smoke and spiraling light—
a surge of sheer overwhelming presence flooded the room.
A laugh echoed.
"Miss me?"
Satoru Gojo stood there, arms out like he was welcoming applause. His blindfold was gone, revealing that smug, crystal gaze.
"Jeez, you guys take your sweet time. I was starting to think you'd all decided to throw a party without me."
Everyone stood frozen.
Panda blinked.
Choso's jaw dropped.
Utahime facepalmed.
Gojo turned to Shoko. "You miss me, Doc?"
Shoko exhaled smoke from her cigarette and replied dryly, "Mei Mei's unconscious. Multiple organ failure. No cursed energy left in her core. We're stabilizing her, but…"
Gojo's grin faded slightly.
"Odds?"
"Low."
Ui Ui, silent in the corner, clenched his jaw as Shoko turned away.
Gojo said nothing. His gaze grew serious for the first time. "…I see."
Before anything else could be said—
the doors burst open.
Itadori.
Bruised. Panting. Covered in ash and blood.
His voice was barely a whisper.
"Megumi… Sukuna took him."
Everyone froze.
Itadori staggered in. "He made Megumi eat the finger. And then he… he controlled him. I tried to stop him. Higuruma tried. But Sukuna didn't even care. He just… laughed."
Maki's eyes widened.
Hakari cursed.
Choso lowered his head.
Nobara's fists trembled.
Gojo, however—
—grinned.
"Hah," he muttered. "So, he finally made his move."
Everyone looked at him.
"You're not… shocked?" asked Utahime.
Gojo slipped on his blindfold again.
"Nah."
He cracked his knuckles.
"I've been locked up for long enough."
He turned to Yuta. "Thanks for getting me out, Okkotsu. Now…"
He cracked his neck.
"It's time to get our boy back."